A New Strategy To Enhance the Empowerment of Inner-City Service Providers.

The Prevention Training Institute has been developed to pilot a new strategy to assist inner-city service providers to further recognize and act on their own empowerment. Service providers must have the necessary capacities to incorporate new directions. These include knowledge of the current research, access to resources, and an understanding of how knowledge and resources can be integrated into an existing program. The following five goals of the Prevention Institute constitute an operational definition of empowerment: (1) to educate service providers on current research; (2) to expand the network of providers who are able to develop and train staff; (3) to encourage greater school and community collaboration; (4) to engage in mutual problem solving; and (5) to expand resources and resource-development capabilities. The conceptual framework for such an institute is described, and details of implementation are outlined, with an emphasis on the experience of the first institute sponsored by the Western Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities. Ten appendixes contain various sample forms and questionnaires used in the institute. (SLD)